A supported military force is required to transport “ready-fire” munitions in the battlefield. These “ready-fire” munitions include, for example, airborne munitions (e.g., direct-fire missiles, loitering missiles, airborne tagging system and reconnaissance UAVs, etc.) and waterborne munitions (e.g., UUVs, USVs, counter-mine UUVs and USVs, surface and subsurface tagging systems, small torpedos and other anti-submarine and anti-ship weapons, etc.).
To use these “ready-fire” munitions, the supported military force must establish a fire-support base. In dynamic combat operations in which the supported force is generally on the move, the fire-support base must be repeatedly established, dismantled, and then reestablished. Likewise, when evading hostile forces, the supported force must protect their supporting-fire resources, moving them as required.
This routine of establishing-dismantling-reestablishing fire support results in delays and interruptions in fire support. This can have dire consequences to a small, isolated, military force. And to the extent that ready-fire munitions are being shouldered by military personnel, their movements will be hampered and energy more quickly expended due to the bulk and weight of these munitions.